Welcome to Adrona
by Scoligatr
Summary: In the Region of Adrona, a very spiritual place, when a child reaches their 18th birthday they can go through a series of tests to obtain their very first Pokemon. Here you may speak telepathically to a Pokemon as long as you capture them first. No one has ever questioned this phenomenon; it has been an everlasting blessing... until something goes wrong. Rated T for swearing/blood.
1. Prologue - So it begins

**Prologue: So It Begins**

* * *

"Rise, Vere Taber. With the power invested throughout the colony, we now present you with your partner Pokemon." A low hum echoed through the sacred cave as a group of cloaked elders moved their way towards the center of the area, their shadows dancing across the walls flickering alongside the fire. The shorter hooded female slowly raised a clothed bundle into the light, her eyes void of colour; the little Pokemon inside fidgeted, its face slowly poking out from underneath the material smelling for its long awaited trainer.

Meanwhile, with a stoic expression – or at least the best that the adolescent could manage – Vere Taber gently stood up, his legs shaking with anticipation. This was the day. Today was it. He would finally be able to venture away from this village and explore the region or even regions – yes plural – and perhaps be able to understand more of what it meant to 'be one' with everything around him. Letting out a hitched breath, the trainer clacked his nails against a water droplet shaped necklace, his eyes focused on his soon to be Pokemon, his anxiousness ready to burst out into a whole other being.

The woman holding onto the creature gracefully made her way to the teen cradling it carefully against her breast. Vere let out a gasp and held his breath, his eyes staring intently on the figure coming towards him. This was it. In just three seconds he would be able to find out who complimented his entire self.

Time seemed to stop as the elder halted her steps and took a knee lifting Vere's new partner up to his eye level. The adolescent gasped again, quieter than the last, eyes landing on a much lightened tan snout that eased its way out from the fabric. After what seemed to be hours, two sparkling blue eyes full of curiosity and awe poked out as the cloth finally gave way and collapsed with a soft plop onto the floor; neither human made a move to recover the object.

_'You…you're Vere?'_ a soft male-like voice asked prodding against the walls of the human's consciousness. Two of the Pokemon's paws began to uncurl themselves from underneath, revealing a blunt tail that wagged just slightly.

"Yes." The trainer answered, surprised at his tone. For someone so nervous and overjoyed at the same time, his voice came out with complete confidence. The Pokemon in front of him was very yellow and curvy; its body almost so round like that it seemed to reflect a ball when it was curled up. Could this be a san-

The creature softly giggled its shoulders relaxing._ 'Sandshrew.'_ it said, completing Vere's thought.

A smile took over the teen's features as he felt the mixed emotions of happiness and laughter flow throughout his mind. Every worry he had about his partner Pokemon was pushed out his mind. Relaxing, Vere gently placed his palm on top of the newly hatched Sandshrew's head causing both to close their eyes in unison. Silence enveloped the small cave before a small whisper caressed around every ear in the room like a wisp of smoke.

"Welcome to Adrona little guy."  
The bond solidified.

* * *

**A/N: This is going to have a lot of chapters - or at least up until I feel satisfied with the story. It'll be a long journey folks! Honestly speaking though, I'll write until I lose interest, but the more comments there are no matter how mean/nice/short/long they are, I'll continue as long as I know there are people who want to hear more! If not, well I mean I don't want to keep doing something anyone hates or doesn't care about.**

**This story will center around our main character introduced here - Vere Taber - and soon he'll be met with another teen. From there, there will be friendship, angst, and all sorts of adventures. Hope you guys sit back and enjoy the ride!  
**


	2. Chapter 1 - I Did It

**Chapter 1: I Did It**

* * *

"You both have bonded." the assembly of hooded elders said together. Their chanting in the background began to get louder and louder with each passing second the duo stood there; it would have seemed that the presence of trainer and Pokemon were once welcome, but no so much anymore. "Leave and may Arceus guide you well. Never return." The last two words hung with great tension in the air eliciting a small wince from the Sandshrew as he felt the full weight of the words. Tugging urgently at Vere's sleeve, the ground type looked pleadingly for his new trainer to high tail it out.

The adolescent nodded to his friend and glanced once more at the high elders. Remembering the training he had received previously to his trial many weeks ago, the blue haired male bowed and recited the honourable message while nervously fiddling with his necklace. There was just one problem when receiving one's perfect Pokemon. The name. It was by an invisible promise that no child was to choose their partner's name until they were able to see what kind and type of Pokemon they had received if they had passed their test. Filled with so many emotions from fear to happiness left any newly made trainer focused purely on the fact that they had done it. They. Had. Done. It. Names and what not were completely the last thing anyone wanted to worry about – but now was the time, and now it was this second they needed to give their chosen partners a name. So…What name to give his precious Sandshrew? …How about…

"I, Vere Taber,-" he began, allowing a smile to don his features. "-vow to never return to the sacred Cave of Prime for the bond in which… Sol and I share will never become extinguished. May the great Arceus guide you all well." Without so much as another word, the male secured his Sandshrew – Sol – tightly in his arms and darted out of the cave and back into the open where he was met with a small group of beloved people, who as soon as they spotted who they were looking for, cheered loudly about.

"Mother! Father!" exclaimed Vere as his eyes lighted up at two specific people in front. The male pushed his way into the crowd of friends and relatives all congratulating him on his success. Few women gushed at how adorable Sol was while a few younger boys scoffed and stated they could do much better. Vere rolled his eyes ignoring the insults he received from the mediocre boys not even old enough to take on the trials; the trainer was more than proud to say, at the very least, that he had bonded with a Sandshrew. Technically speaking, a Sandshrew was nothing special. It was an ordinary Pokemon – bland if you will – but to avoid danger or hide their emotions they would roll up into a ball, oblivious to the world around them. However, should they open up to those they cared about, they were affectionate as they could be, sometimes even clingy, but who wasn't? Every Pokemon was special, no one was average and that was something the male held close to his heart. Because of this, Vere felt that Arceus's choice was a true one. He looked apathetic on occasion but there will always be times when he gets hurts and when he does, he will build a wall of emotions around him, blocking out anything that is thrown. He's done that for a while now, and it won't stop any time soon. Maybe today… Just a few seconds. He could spare that much right?

"Salutations Aunt Cara." Vere nodded as a respect to the two people he finally managed to reach. "Uncle Rob." He nodded again, giving the crowd and his relatives a lopsided smile as he looked down to the photo frames his Aunt and Uncle respectively held across their chest. Everyone knew this was a bittersweet day; even one as happy as today could easily be butchered by a single moment. The cheers started to die down, and the once grinning faces dropped to a slight smile, eyes holding pity for the boy they had called family for so many years.

The star adolescent dropped to his knees, eyes brimming with unshed tears. His voice was wavering and everyone fought to keep in their own tears especially Cara and Rob. Vere shakily stretched out his hand, touching the smooth glass of the frames that each held a portrait of a young handsome man and a gorgeous woman; both were smiling with their child. Scribbled in the corner of the pictures was a message signaling the date and time that the photo was taken.

_Vere's seventh birthday! May Arceus guide you well! Love, Mom and Dad. _

"M-Mom…D-Dad…I..I-I did it." Only a mere whisper was said. As heartbreaking as it was, it seemed for that moment, the winds stopped blowing, and the birds stopped chirping – all enough to hear even a pin drop. A sad whine came from Sol, his confused turn of his head questioning the importance of the situation.

_'I'll explain everything about myself to you later, Sol.'_ Replied Vere telepathically, his eyes closing, feeling the glass again. He couldn't trust himself to speak for the moment. It was something he held dear to his heart. In his village nothing was silent, but for now, everyone was.

_'Alright Vere. I apologize…'_

Seconds slowly edged by.

"I did it Mom. Dad. I did it. After these three weeks of hell, I finally did it." continued Vere as he gently lifted Sol from his shoulders unceremoniously shoving the ground type towards the frames. "This is Sol. He's my counterpart. We already get along." A pause. "I wish you were here. I miss you both so…so much." A few sniffles could be heard in the crowd; even Uncle Rob was dripping manly tears. "Mom…your baby boy finally became a trainer. Dad…your little man is going to leave the nest. He's going to go to places you always wanted to go to. I wish you both could come with me." Suddenly, a choked sob erupted from the adolescent, gravity assisting the outburst to pull the teen down to the ground cursing like he never had before, shocking a little bit of the mothers in the gathering.

"Fucking dammit!" Vere choked out, words caught in his throat. "Why? I did everything our village taught us! I was a good person, so why did Arceus take everything away from me?!"

Few hushed whispers ensued as they watched the withering teen curse at nothing. Some tried to comfort the trainer, but a handful glared at the so called 'blessed son'. Three or four wondered why the trainer was acting so dramatic. So people lost a few loved ones. So what? Vere was lucky enough as it was to fulfill the trials, obtain a decent counterpart, and leave the village. Not many understood the scene in front of them, and so, tired of watching the ungrateful teen, they left – leaving him to sulk in his own misery.

"Sweetheart… honey. Let's go home…" Aunt Cara cooed, extending her hand out to her nephew. She crinkled her nose, shaking her head fondly. "Let's go home sweetie. You need a bath."

Although the image in front of him was blurry to hell, Vere took her hand, standing up anyways, snorting in reply. Luckily for him, the two older relatives were old and had a slight hard of hearing.

'Home.' His thoughts spat out the word like poison. 'Yeah right, like I ever had that.'  
"Hah. Alright, Aunt Cara." He said instead, smiling like the good boy he had to be, completely separate from his vicious thoughts.

Laughing heartedly, Rob slapped his nephew's back earning a wince from the teen, but ignored it and boomed his words loudly. "Don't sweat it kid! Your parents are so proud of you right now and they'll always be. We're also proud of ya too! You haven't lost anything yet kid!"


	3. Chapter 2 - See you later

**Chapter 2: See You Later**

* * *

Adrona. No matter where you went, that single word would ring in anyone's ear. What exactly was that place? Unbeknownst to many, Adrona is a small region just off the coast of a much larger and intimidating region. What's the name you ask? Only those who had ever wandered out of Adrona would know its name, but for now, not a single soul knew – although it was arguable. Many tales arose over generations that spoke of countless who were lucky enough to become trainers and head towards the unknown; unfortunately due to its 'much better lifestyle' no one returned. Those who wandered out decided to stay, but for the most part, it was either that happy tale or the actual one – they perished in their travels. However, despite many difficulties, there are many thriving villages and areas that seemed to flourish since the beginning of time in the Region of Adrona – only Arceus could wish them all well.

It was only mid-morning that the chirps of the Pidgeys and quacks of the Duckletts slowly awoke an exhausted – to say the least – teen who groaned as he avoided the sun's rays. Days rolled by and still he was incredibly sore from the trials. The rustling of leaves and branches swayed by, the crisp fresh breeze attempted to lull Vere back to sleep, but being the early riser he was, the newly appointed trainer fought against the gentle caress of sleep, apologizing and promising to see her again once the moon shone.

_'Good morning Vere!'_ a happy voice flowed inside the adolescent's mind allowing the human to crack a smile at his greeter. It was indeed pretty early, but as of right now, everything was perfect if one would omit his breakdown days before.

"Good morning to you too Sol. You're up early." Replied Vere, his voice laced with amusement. It was strange having someone in the household be awake at the same time he was. He glanced at the battery operated clock. 6:28 am. Huh, just two minutes off from the alarm. The trainer shrugged, causing his woolen blanket to fall off his shoulders and onto the soft mattress below.

_'I'm awake because you've awoken.'_ Sol said, pushing his paws together nervously. It felt weird to give a lecture to his trainer; the human was older than him, and technically speaking the Sandshrew was an infant Pokemon but still, compared to the other life forms, they aged much quicker but still maintained their mortality until their perfect partners died. _'I know when you're about to wake, and if I choose to, I do the same.'_

"I see." Vere waved his hand dismissively, brushing a finger against Sol's ear, watching it twitch in annoyance. Hah. "I guess there's more to this bond than what was initially taught. Thank you Sol."

_'No problem Vere. What will we do today? This is the day before we leave, no?'_

A low chuckle came from the teen as his eyes closed. Taking a deep breath and slowly turning his head around the room, the trainer sadly took in his surroundings all the while tapping at his necklace – an annoying trait he picked up from his own nervousness. "We're actually leaving today. Soon." he replied. "We packed up everything last night. Aunt Cara and Uncle Rob will take care of the food and money. They said for us to wait and rethink about what we need in case we forgot anything."

Sol hummed in excitement, wagging his tail causing the curtains near the window to swoosh in the process. For some reason the little mouse Pokemon was incredibly anxious and needless to say – very much excited, for reasons he had absolutely no clue why. Maybe it was because he was going on an adventure with his bonded trainer, or maybe because he would be able to make friends with the other wild creatures. Heck, maybe because this had been what Vere had been waiting for since his entire life! It wasn't uncommon to have the feelings flow through the duo; it was what being bonded meant. The chosen Pokemon would be able to feel the thoughts and emotions of their human partner as long as it was permissible. It wasn't like Vere hid anything from Sol, so that meant the Sandshrew took it as a good thing. Their talk last night was something both teen and Pokemon went through, should the human decide to reveal about his past. It was sad to say the very least, but what was the meaning of sad exactly? Personally, Sol believed that in order to feel sad, one would have to first feel happiness. Even if Vere's parents were ripped out from his life at a young age, the human still had Sol right? Still, even all that, it had only been less than a week since the ground type hatched and was brought out from the Cave of Prime; all this experience had been very intriguing. Free to wander the quaint village, Sol had learned that both he and Vere were born in Roscrest – a village known for their export of fresh fruits and vegetables to the other villages inside Adrona. The rituals that took place here were one of a kind, unique to the other places. This included the trials that his human had gone through. Not many people knew what the neighboring villages' rituals were, but it was safe to say most of the villagers couldn't have cared less. The civilians were very much in tuned with their own daily life in Roscrest, the place each person held proudly.

According to Vere's exciting tale, just two weeks before he had obtained Sol, the teen had to undergo tests that involved his intellectual abilities as well as his survival skills. Each round tested his courage and his motivation to make it to the end. Unfortunately, he was up against two other wannabe trainers and for better or worse, only one could make it to the end – this was Vere. Luckily for the sanity of the three males, neither disclosed their names or their history, making them only mere pawns in the game to become a trainer. Those who had failed to complete the ritual had either perished in their attempts or had gotten picked off by natural causes ranging from a hungry Fearow or the merciless pull of the river currents. Despite it all, for the one adolescent who was victorious, he or she would be honoured and respected for the rest of their lives – well to an extent really; it was hard to say because just like human nature, depending on the likeability a person held, they would either be envied or loved.

A heavy thump distracted the last of Sol's reminiscing as he turned away from the window to look at his evolved trai- oh wait, no. What was it again? His human had explained to him that his species enjoyed changing…clothes. Yes, that's right. These…clothes…were apparently an enjoyable pastime for Vere's species as they didn't stick to one 'set' or so his human said.

"Ahem." Vere cleared his throat, eyeing the Sandshrew accusingly. "I heard that." He laughed, tugging on the last part of his attire before walking to the mirror. The adolescent turned around, admiring whatever he was admiring. He smiled, drawing his fists to his side, questioning his choices. It was resourceful right? Vere wasn't someone one would call tall, but he was at least average, if not just slightly shorter by an inch or two. His eyes came from his fathers as they held a grey shine to them whenever they hit sunlight; it was nothing unusual – rather very common, but Vere held them as his star features anyways. His royal blue hair stood out the most in his village for it obviously wasn't his original hair colour; everyone wants to be unique in some ways, but unlike those who were dreamers, Vere was a doer and thus asking the village hairstylist to dye his hair permanently blue with the berries found within the area and have half of his bangs cover his left eye. Due to his time training and being outdoors, he was tan, but not enough to cause sunburn and not enough to be called dark. Vere shrugged. He had to admit, give or take he was pretty lucky on his skin. Some of his peers definitely had problems especially with sunburn if they stayed out a few seconds too long. Sucks for them.

_'You look pretty good, I think.'_ Sol said, his head turning to look at the black and blue striped cotton armbands._ 'What's that for?'_

"Ah, thanks! And these are what we call armbands." The teen brought up an arm pointing and stretching the elastic. "They're used to capture any sweat that us humans tend to do. That way I can have a firm grip if we ever get ourselves in a bind."

Turning back to inspect the remaining clothing choice, Vere fidgeted his back pockets, making sure they were big enough to hold his wallet. It took him forever and a half, but just recently he was able to get his hands on a newly made silk sport shorts with a few pockets here and there. It was light enough for him to swim in, and airy enough so that his legs could breathe when the sun was beating down. The most difficult choice had to be his jacket. It was currently summer in Roscrest and needless to say it was ridiculously hot; however being the villagers they were, hot was not an issue, it was what happened when the sun went down that everything hit a temperature that was too cold. Vere shrugged once more, flicking a loose thread hanging down from his tee shirt underneath. The trainer knew his jacket was very durable and lightweight but he had to make sure it would keep him warm if he was in some kind of trouble. Dark colours were always the way to go, and with his tee shirt at a dark cyan blue and the top of his hoodied jacket a charcoal black and a light blue stripe across his chest, the blue haired male had to agree it was probably the best choice. His shoes and socks were a no brainer and Arceus forbid if he screwed that up, then he definitely deserved to die out there in the wilderness.

A feeling of laughter spiked in Vere's mind, taking a few seconds for him to realize it wasn't his but rather Sol's. The last thing he heard before Aunt Cara called for the duo was, _'My human has such a morbid sense of humour.' _He smiled, glancing at himself one last time in the mirror. He was ready. Heck, more than ready even. It was time.

"Yes Aunt Cara?!"

"Come to the kitchen! I have a surprise for you before you go!"

Shuffling together the last of his items, Vere flung his knapsack over his shoulders leaving room for Sol to jump onto the other side, resting his paws softly against the human's neck. Perfect place to rest if you asked him.

Upon entering the living room, both were attacked by a furious hug from a man and his wife. Surprised, Vere froze as he tried to get a better look at his assaults, and when he did, the teen laughed.

"Hiya Uncle Rob!" he laughed out, hugging his Aunt and Uncle back with just as much force. Arceus, he was definitely going to miss them immensely. As the three humans attempted to hold back their tears, Cara presented her nephew with a rather large bag that held what she called 'goodies'.

"Sweetheart, this holds your emergency belongings as well as a few imperishable foods with specific berries. I'm sure you'll be able to recognize them. Use them wisely, they were hard to find! Inside, for the sake of money you'll find exactly five thousand pokedollars. Always remember that if you need more, all you need to do is come back safe and sound…" Her words trailed off as she took this pause to wipe a tear away as she gripped the boy in front of her tighter in her hug. It was very hard to admit that for someone she had put all her love in, – due to her inability to have a child – had a large chance of never returning and just disappearing like all the other trainers before him. In other words, she had a high probability of losing her one and only son. Sensing her distress, Rob took over, his own voice not faring any better.

"Don't listen to her kid. We'll see you again alright? Those other guys probably did something stupid. We've known you since forever, and no way are you going to make those same mistakes."

Sol and Vere nodded, his eyes glued to the floor; he just couldn't look either at them in the eye.  
"Okay then. I guess this isn't a goodbye but a 'see you soon', right?" the trainer asked, confidence shown clearly in his eyes. Vere took walked towards the door, his back turned towards his…pseudo parents, pausing just at the door handle when he heard one last saying from his Uncle.

"See you later, my son."

The gates finally broke, allowing his tears to run freely down his cheek as he used his free hand to grip his necklace tightly. Without another word, the adolescent opened the door, took his last steps outside and closed the door with an audible click.

He didn't look back.


	4. Chapter 3 - Titus Valdes

**Chapter 3: Titus Valdes**

* * *

A deafening roar filled the arena, silencing any Pokemon who dared wander around the village of Procaxin. Every creature from a mere Chatot to even a creepy crawling Caterpie made sure to say miles away from the ruthless village especially during this particular season. Compared to Roscrest, Procaxin was famous; their brutality and Spartan-like civilians were known throughout the region. From their amazing exports of slick weapons and their abundance of oil, the community was not only wealthy but the main trading center of resources that had nothing to do with agriculture. However, despite being the center of trade, it was this blaring week that stood out for all of those who turned twenty one. All of these families gathered in the coliseum. Childr- no, these _men_ and _women_ were trained in combat and having their pathetic sentimental emotions beat out from them since they had been able to walk. The mothers were cold and calculating and the fathers were brutal to say the very least. Despite all of Procaxin's fame, the town had the least amount of civilians living in them compared to most of the neighboring villages in Adrona; it was no mystery to the question of 'why' but most kept silent about the traditions that were held yearly.

The victorious scream echoed again, bouncing aggressively off the walls, allowing bloodthirsty cheers to commence – some even met with a couple boos and disapproving nods. One man stood victorious amongst the many laid severed heads and bodies of others who failed. His grimy hair clung to his sweat covered face, blocking part of his view but enough for him to have emerged a champion. When fighting for one's own life, no one gave a flying _fuck_ to their appearance, but considering how this was an arena just waiting for death, the sight of a human covered in blood caked up to many centimeters and dried from previous days behind, was an appearance well earned. The victor raised his available hand, watching it shake slightly as fresh blood dripped from his appendage. He mentally cringed; the girl he just killed – he had known her for a week and she wasn't a bad person. It was a shame she was no more.

A booming voice erupted from an absurdly muscular man in the judging area, his face adorned with scars and jewels – a perfect look for a seemingly perfect leader.

"TITUS VALDES." he bellowed, his voice thick with authority and pride. He had won his bet against his fellow council after all. The male in front showed promise since the beginning of the tournament. "YOU HAVE WON. KNEEL BEFORE YOUR FELLOW PEERS."

With great effort, Titus grunted, his body sinking towards the ground as he knelt, his head bowed low to the leader. For someone whose emotions and feelings – all of the above really – was ripped away from him since he could remember, he was still shaking with not only pure exhaustion but with eagerness as well. Here, just like all of the trainers – or warriors as the natives like to call it - before him, the young adult was about to receive his first matched up Pokemon. Arceus he hoped it was a powerful Bagon. Or hell, even maybe a brutal Sharpedo. That would definitely bring his family honour and more respect that they so rightfully deserved.

The huge crowd fell silent; all eyes were glued to the empty platform just below the council, while Titus's eyes were squeezed shut. The warrior had indeed no doubt he was about to be represented with the strongest infant Pokemon of all. It didn't matter if the first instinct the little fucker had was to bite his head off, but at least it would yearn for blood, and that's all that mattered. A low hum filled the area as somehow a flood of light lit the entire stadium blinding the eyes of every human in sight. Although the one and only great deity was Arceus, here in Procaxin, those who understood the tradition worshipped the great Giratina for darkness and war. No one here were bad people; it wasn't a crime to love war, fights, and the dark if that was all everyone lived for since the dawn of time. It was a norm.

"OH GREAT GIRATINA." the leader recited again, both arms up praising the enormous stone statue. "SHOW US THE OTHER HALF OF TITUS VALDES AND MAY ARCEUS WISH THEM WELL."

A few minutes passed, and the light began to fade, leaving behind a small figure curled up on the pedestal where it was once empty. Tiny electrical sparks emitted from the creature, letting those with keen eyes to see the colour – it was a humble colour, the sight of a lighter shade of green mixed with lines of yellow was nice to tired eyes. It was often found that most of the champions had received bulky dark coloured Pokemon or even fire types in general; it was what fit most of their personalities at best, but Titus had received something different – unusual even.

Those who had been holding their breaths let out a gasp as everyone's line of sight returned. Thousands of spectators quietly murmured under their breath, hiding either their disappointment or surprise. It was hard to tell when dismay was written all over the new warrior's face.

Being the closest to the prize he was dying for, Titus had been the first person to snap his head up and focus his senses on his new partner. Needless to say, he knew that something was wrong when the creature didn't stop moving and instead looked like it was about to piss itself due to sheer fright.

It did.

A stream of urine pooled down from the edges of the pillar and onto the dirt floor creating dark splotches here and there. The Electrike above wobbled and peered over the edge looking at the soiled human kneeling. A tiny and shaky bark came in bits as it looked around at the million pairs of eyes looking right at him.

_'W-Who a-are you?'_ the electric type asked, desperately trying to find a way off the high platform.

Stunned silence filled the arena. Regardless of what the champion had received, the bond was not yet finalized until the trainer had made contact with the Pokemon. A few scoffs could be heard if one were right next to the person who did it, but other than that, no one uttered a word – not even the councilmen.

"Are you fucking serious…" Titus continued to gape at the feeble creature with horror and shock. This had to be a misunderstanding. Giratina must have made a grave mistake – perhaps the legendary had sent this pisspot to the wrong dimension. The young adult slowly got up, his brain not even recognizing his actions. But…for some reason, the trainer knew this wasn't a mistake. Maybe he was weak after all. He snorted. That was impossible. Perhaps this was a challenge. A challenge from the Gods.

Clearing his throat, the warrior trailed his stern gaze until he met eye to eye with the startled Electrike; it flinched. "My name is Titus. Titus Valdes. You are to be an extension of me but it seems there has been a misunderstanding. I am strong and bold. You are not."

_'I-I see…W-W-What is my…n-name, Master T-Titus?'_

Titus cringed after hearing the frightened voice in his head. It wasn't because he shared the same emotion as his newly given partner, but it was because such a trait was unfathomable. Ridiculous even. He definitely had his work cut out for him. But that could wait.

"Your name will be Dirus - an honourable Latin root for 'Fear'. Although you possess it in your entire being as of now, do not worry. We will accomplish many together that will in turn strike the same fear into the hearts of our enemies. I will rid the pathetic feeling you have right now, I swear it upon my soul." Titus answered confidently with his head held high, turning his shameful situation into a rather interesting one.

"Now come down from the pillar and let us conclude our bonding ritual. We must make haste. We leave the second the bond is completed." Explained the warrior, his eyes shifting to the now opened gates that led outside of Procaxin. The ritual for the natives did not end once the victor had received his or her Pokemon but it was only after three years of wandering Adrona and then some, did they allow the trainers to return. Strange thing though that even the natives of Procaxin did not question. Many left and none returned. The same story was told as it did in Roscrest. However, unlike the hospitality and the love residing in Roscrest, Procaxin was void of such burdens and there was no such saying as 'rest for the weary'. The man or woman, after the ritual, is to exit the stadium and start their years in the wilderness with no money, clothing, or materialistic objects that would aid them in their perils. Whether the warrior and their Pokemon survived, it was no one's concern. The parent's job was to raise their son or daughter into the best of the best and should they choose to become a trainer, they were to take fight in the tournament. If not, then they would continue their mundane lifestyle as whatever they were placed into.

It took a few minutes, but the small Electrike shuffled his way towards his human, taking one paw after another; cautious of what would happen next. Carefully leaning towards the warrior's extended arm, Dirus dipped his muzzle into the palm and the duo closed their eyes in unison. A gentle stream of tranquility washed over both Pokemon and human tying their thoughts together and connecting their consciousness.

The bond was solidified.

* * *

**A/N: Aaaannnndddd these will be the only two main characters introduced throughout the story! Or in other words they will be our main protagonists! Everyone else will either be supporting characters with no background or just guides to help with the plot! It all begins in the next chapter. Enjoy! R & R would be much appreciative if you want to read anything specific. Ideas are always welcome, I don't bite! *7***

**P.S - I don't have a Beta reader and English was never my first language - much to my own regret. So if there are any ridiculous mistakes that you just can't stand, be sure to point it out! (But hey! I'm not THAT bad - or at least I don't think so.)**


	5. Chapter 4 - A Change

**Chapter 4 :A Change**

* * *

_'Hey, Vere? Where are we going?'_

"Mmm, nowhere in particular. Why do you ask?"

_'Oh. No reason, I was just getting hungry that's all.'_

It was a humid afternoon; the sun was high above the trees illuminating the forest and all its glory. Bug Pokemon were scattered about minding their own business and doing their daily nectar hunting or whatever it was they usually did. It had been just three days since the duo's departure from Roscrest Village, and their adventure was going rather well. Or at least that's what Vere thought.

"Okay, then how about maybe another half a mile and then we'll set up camp?" replied the teen his voice light adding a skip in his walk. "My Uncle said this forest was where he often went to gather firewood, and if he did that then there's bound to be a river nearby. What do you say, Sol?"

'_Sure!'_ the ground type chirped, his tail thumping gently against his trainer's shoulder blades. It wasn't like the Sandshrew had room to complain – not that he had any problems with the situation. Since day one, he barely walked by himself not to mention being awake as the hours flew by. What could he say? A Pokemon could get used to living around a human's neck.

Minutes of comfortable silence passed as the couple continued their trek through the forest, taking a few turns here and there, and even some stops to admire the plants that grew on the trunks. The adolescent was quite fascinated by the unique vegetation that grew around; ever since the passing of his beloved parents, his relatives refused to let Vere wander outside the city gates. They never told the boy why and sadly to this day, Vere still didn't know the cause of his parent's death – but he was on this journey to find out. However, little did the human know, sometimes questions were better left unanswered.

_'Hey! What about that place over there?'_ pointing to a brightly lit patch about a meter or two away, Sol jumped off his partner's neck and scurried to opening, patting the ground evenly. The area seemed cozy and wide. It had a three hundred sixty degree view around them just in case any Mightyenas or Pinsirs thought they could get a midnight snack._ 'This is solid enough.' _huffed Sol. He eyed the ground some more to conclude his observations.

"Looks good, nice job Sol." Smiling, the trainer mentally sent a wave of gratitude towards his companion as he set down his backpack and took off his jacket. "Whew!" he exclaimed. Due to his height, the teen was able to get a further view of the area, and aside from having found a good spot, there was even a nice river to boot. His Sandshrew sure as heck knew how to pick places; this went to the other two areas they had chosen days prior to this, but not as nice as what they were in right now. "This is great! Let's see what things we can scavenge for dessert. I'll get dinner going."

The sun began to creep downwards, high hills started to block the ball of heat as it began to cast an abundance of shadows upon the woods. The coos of Hoothoots calmly eased their way in, echoing into the breeze. It wasn't quite night yet, but if any words were used to describe the current time, Vere had to say it would probably be called evening. They had traveled far away from Roscrest, and it was at this opportune moment that the trainer realized there was more sunlight than what would originally had been at home.

_'Vere? Can I ask you a question?'_ a soft voice broke the silence.

"Go ahead."

The mouse Pokemon looked up with large eyes as he gently set down a piece of firewood into the fire. The flames licked the poor creature's paw, causing him to flinch and mentally note that he was thankful for being a ground type.

'I was wondering…' Sol hesitated a bit before continuing. _'How come you're afraid to go through or visit the other villages? I felt…from you… that we passed two of them before coming here…'_ Quickly tearing his gaze from his trainer, the Sandshrew fidgeted, suddenly uncomfortable with his own question. _'Uh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.'_ He quickly added.

Vere sighed, absent mindedly running a hand through his hair. "You know I'm not good with people…I want to avoid them as much as possible…"

_'I see…but what about fighting other trainers we'll see? You're not the only one here. What about friends? Don't you want to make some?'_

"I guess that means we'll come to it when we come to it. And no. Arceus no. I'm not...a good friend...A-And.. It's not like it's happening rig-"

_'Shhh! I smell something!'_ With a start, Sol jumped, ears perked up, and legs apart, searching for the source of the smell. His snout led him towards a large set of bushes a few meters away.

Vere carefully stood up as well, following suit. His partner was hardly trained yet, and if it was a dangerous Pokemon, Sol wouldn't be able to stand a chance. Now would probably be a good time to use their telepathic abilities. _'Sol, what's going on? Be careful…'_

A loud moan erupted from the shrubs, startling both human and Pokemon.

_'It's a human…! And…'_ a wave of excitement flowed through their mental link. Sol began wagging his tail, unable to contain his happiness. There was a smaller figure near the origin of the moan and it smelled like a tamed Pokemon. Not a wild one, but a _tame_ one!

_'And what…?'_ the feeling of excitement coming from his partner did nothing to calm the trainer's nerves as his own fear evenly matched the other. '_Sol?'_ he asked again, irritation edging in. Vere walked closer standing side by side his Pokemon. _'What is it?'_

A pregnant pause ensued, leaving just silence – even another moan from the bushes brushed by. _'It's…it's… Another one of us!'_ exclaimed the Sandshrew.

Um… What?


End file.
